In the midst of what has felt like a particularly violent few days in Toronto, people hoping soak up the sun at one of the city's top attractions and get away from the madness of the downtown core this weekend were met with yet another scare involving a weapon.

Community members who frequent Hanlan's Point, the nude beach on the Toronto Islands known as a staple summer hangout spot for LGBTQ2S+ folks especially, issued multiple PSAs on Saturday about a man allegedly wielding a machete and terrorizing the public in the area.

Holy frig.

— What Comes Echoing Back, by Leo McKay Jr (@LeoMcKayJr) July 8, 2023

An Instagram story from Friends of Hanlan's around 6 p.m. on Saturday spread the news that there had been reports of a person with a weapon at the public park, advising anyone nearby to be extra careful.

Minutes later, they posted a user-submitted photo showing Toronto police officers on the scene, one of them appearing to carry a large knife, which many were saying was seized from the offender. 

Guy with a machete wandering around Hanlan’s Point Beach, one of Toronto’s meeting spots for the gay community since the 50’s.
He was arrested & didn’t harm anyone but ...thinking that was okay to do🤯 pic.twitter.com/YUngjg30xq

— Danielle Couffon (@icequeen1371) July 9, 2023

"There is something very wrong when Canada's oldest queer space is being terrorized by someone with a machete and evacuated by the police," the group wrote over the photo, adding that they thankfully hadn't heard of there being any injuries.

An update from the same account later stated that based on witness accounts, the man was allegedly walking the length of the waterfront with the weapon before authorities arrived and evacuated the space.

The photo had also been circulating on Twitter.

My friends and I just had come to have a nice chill day at the beach, specifically planned to come to this one today for the last 2 weeks. and of course . I can’t believe you just can’t fucking go anywhere in Toronto anymore https://t.co/dXHffQYG9Y

— lil dil🇺🇦 (@gyumibears) July 8, 2023

Out of the few scarce experiences shared on social media, people said it was "so scary" and a "mass exodus" from the shore. One individual submitted comment to say they were "told to run for [their] lives" by lifeguards.

Toronto Police Service told blogTO that while they did receive a call for a person with a machete and that "officers attended and located the male," the item recovered did not actually turn out to be what everyone had thought it was.

"The male was in possession of a knife, but not an illegal weapon," a representative from the force said. They could not confirm whether the beach was evacuated as some online are saying that it was.

Yesterday we went to Hanlan's to celebrate a friend's birthday. And then we had to leave because the lifeguard said there was a man with a large knife. A lot of people started panicking and it was a thing for a bit there. The world is a wacky place right now. People are not well.

— Jessica Blaine Smith 📷 (@jbsmith) July 9, 2023

Beachgoers were likely already very on edge after last week's TTC stabbing and daytime shooting, especially after there has been at least one homophobic attack and other physical brawls at Hanlan's in recent years, along with the city's infamous Cherry Beach chainsaw moment in 2020.